The best milk frother- We review 7 of the top ones available in 2021

Best Milk Frother Guide
  • If you are a coffee drinker then you will know that one of the finest treats that you can have in the morning is the perfect cup of coffee.
  • For me and for millions of others this is a morning ritual that helps to wake us as well as set us up for the day.
  • Some will buy it from a coffee shop and others will want it in the comfort of your own home.
  • Why do you need a milk frother – Simple – coffee shop quality coffee in the comfort of your own home.

There are few things better in the morning then making the first amazing cup of coffee. Making sure that you have the best milk frother to match your needs will make that first coffee all the more sweeter!

What is a milk frother and why do you need one?

If you don’t know exactly what a milk frother is, it is a nifty gadget that you can use to make foam with. It works by rotating a circular agitator (looks like a circular spring) at high speed in the milk. This forces bubbles into the milk, giving it the creamy frothy texture and greatly increasing the volume.

When you read the reviews, you will see that you only have to add a little bit of milk(120+- mls) to fill the jug.

At a glance – The best milk frothers

What is the difference between a manual milk frother and an electric one?

Electric Milk Frother vs Manual Milk Frother – We are going to be looking at two types here more or less. There are the very basic manual milk frothers that you will have to immerse into the milk once you have heated it and get a foam on the milk by moving it about until you have the desired result.

These are battery run so this is something that you should take into account when looking at the cheaper prices. There is also a two-part process to making the foam for your coffee.

Electric milk frothers as you may have guessed do all of this in one go, they heat the milk and then foam it up for you, all you have to do is to scoop that creamy foam into your cup of coffee.

Handheld frothers do not heat the milk – this is an important difference, as you really need to be doing this with warmed milk as this makes the best foam.

Handheld frother cannot give you the same results as an electric one – The quality of the foam will not be the same with a handheld as it does not have the power and the process of the electric frother.

Do electric milk frothers heat the milk? -Yes … this is the deal-breaker for me, all you have to do is add the milk put on the lid and electric frothers will do the rest.

How to use a milk frother

We will cover both electric and handheld milk frothers.

Handheld frothers:

  • Heat up your milk until it is hot but not boiling.
  • Whatever you are using to froth with fill it between ⅓ and ½ full.
  • Once the handheld is on the place it into the milk. You want to be pumping it up and down and around so that you get your foam more efficiently.
  • After about 15-30 seconds you should have a decent hard of froth on the milk.
  • With a tablespoon, pour and scoop the foam into your coffee, making sure some of the milk at the bottom goes into the coffee as well.

Electric milk frothers:

  • Fill the appliance with milk up to the stated marker on the side.
  • Set the setting to your liking, ie hot milk or maybe cold milk or whatever setting you to have to choose from.
  • Switch it on and leave it to do its thing while you get on with something else, or if you are like me … just watch it as you are still half asleep.
  • Once it has completed its thing you can then open it and using a spoon or soft spatula (depending on what is coated with on the inside) scoop out a mixture of foam and milk into your coffee.

A little tip

I always add my sugar into the black coffee and stir it before I add the milk and foam, that way I don’t have to stir it afterward and ruin the foam. If you are using a handheld frother you can also add the sugar into the hot milk.

What type of milk can you use in your milk frother?

You can use most types of milk to froth. However it is important to realise that the results will differ here are some things to consider.

Skimmed or nonfat milk will make the largest and loosest foam bubbles but will not have much bang in the way of creaminess.

2% or semi-skimmed milk is a bit better and will give you more of a creamy taste and finish.

Full fat milk is the best, but you have to work a little harder to get that thick creamy foam.

You can experiment a bit to see what you like best. For me, it is always full of fat.

Also – always use fresh milk, the fresher the milk the better the foam

Factors to look for when buying an electric milk frother

  • Cost – I guess for most people this is going to be one of the biggest issues. If you are someone who loves the perfect cup of coffee before heading out to work then you are going to be thinking about getting something that is better quality. For occasional coffee drinkers, you are not going to be able to justify paying top dollar.
  • How easy is it to clean your milk frother? – There are a few things to consider here, and frother that you buy will need to be cleaned as soon after use as possible as you don’t want the heated milk drying on the agitator as this becomes difficult to clean and spoil future use.
  • Electric milk frothers have parts that will need to be removed in order to be cleaned and you will need to make sure that the inside is cleaned – these are all things that you should be thinking about.
  • Is your milk frother noisy? – Most people have a coffee first thing in the morning, and really the last thing that you want is a noisy appliance first thing in the morning. If this is something that would bother you or other members of the house then you should be thinking about this when considering a model.
  • Speed: How fast is your milk frother? – For some people, this may not be important but if you are like me who does not have time to take my time in the morning then you want something that will get the job done. Just remember though my rule of thumb is that the better quality something is the longer it usually takes to make it.
  • How easy is it to use your milk frother? – Ease of use is important, the reality is that most people are incapable of operating sophisticated machinery first thing in the morning so you want something that will suit you.
  • What is the end result? – I have left this until last as although you can get caught up in all of the above there is one thing that is often overlooked in the quest to find something that fits a budget and other constraints. Just remember that you are buying this because you are looking for that experience when drinking coffee.. Don’t skimp! I always say, get the best that you can possibly afford, there is nothing worse than buying something that turns out to be disappointing. You may as well just chucked you money into the toilet and flushed !!

The pros and cons of using a handheld milk frother

Pros of using a handheld milk frother

  • Cheaper than electric
  • One unit so easier to clean
  • Easy to store
  • Easy to use
  • Can use any container to make your froth in
  • Lightweight
  • Portable

Cons of using a handheld milk frother

  • You have to heat up milk separately
  • Cheap – won’t last as long as electric
  • Batteries will need replacing
  • The froth made is not as good as electric frother- the motor is not as powerful
  • Fragile – can be bent or broken easily
  • Can spray milk everywhere if used incorrectly

The pros and cons of using an electric milk frother

Pros of using an electric handheld milk frother

  • Makes superior quality froth – most important of all
  • Heats up milk at the some time
  • Easy to use
  • Consistent results
  • Closed unit so clean and efficient
  • Is just a very cool gadget to have in the kitchen

Cons of using an electric milk frother

  • Not so easy to clean
  • Need a power source
  • Can be expensive if you are not a coffee fanatic

Our milk frother reviews – electric & handheld

Breville BMF600XL Milk Frother

Features Amazon product Latté frothing disc for smooth and silky milk Cappucino frothing disk for thick and creamy frother You can also use this machine to make hot chocolate with a foamy top Uses induction heating so can just place the jug in the dishwasher

How easy is it to clean?

Very easy to clean as the jug can be separated and cleaned in the dishwasher. The detachable frothing disks should be cleaned by hand.

What we like about the Breville milk frother

There are a lot of things to like about this machine:
  • Stunning Chrome finish design
  • Safe Induction heating system
  • Comes with different frothers to give you great versatility
  • Can also be used to make an awesome cup of frothy coffee.
  • Very easy to use.

What we don’t like about the Breville milk frother

  • There are a few quirks with this appliance for example the disk is spun magnetically and so you need to make sure nothing getting in its way.

Is it worth the money?

If you love coffee and have the budget this is definitely worth the money, if you are a casual coffee drinker in search of something extra, there are cheaper choices out there.

What is the Breville milk frother Best for?

You can use this for a lot of things but especially for getting the perfect consistency when making foam.

Secura Electric Milk Frother and Warmer

Features

  • 125 ml milk for lattes etc
  • 250mls milk just for heating
  • Stainless steel exterior with vacuum insulation
  • Can froth hot and cold milk
  • Comes with a cleaning brush
  • Interior has a non-stick finish for easy cleaning

How easy is it to clean?

It comes with a brush to clean the frother disk and the inside has a nonstick finish so it is very easy to wipe down. You cannot submerge in water so you will need to clean it with a cloth

What we like about the Secura Milk Frother

  • Very stylish.
  • Easy to use.
  • Very well priced for what you are getting.
  • Practical and versatile.

What we don’t like about the Secura milk Frother

  • There is a tendency for them to stick and burn a little on the base of the frother, it does not affect the milk and froth produced but it does make it a little harder to clean.

Is it worth the money?

This is definitely worth the money, it is a versatile and easy to use a machine that if looked after should be giving you value for money

What is the Secura Automatic Electric Milk Frother Best for?

This is a great machine for a family house and the casual coffee drinker. You can use it for other things apart from frothing milk.

Kuissential milk frother and Warmer

Features

  • 120mls of milk for frothing
  • 240 mls for hot milk
  • Can froth hot and cold milk
  • Can heat milk for hot drinks
  • Stainless steel exterior and nonstick interior
  • Detachable base
  • Easy to clean
  • Has a 2 year guarantee

How easy is it to clean?

It has a detachable base and a nonstick internal surface so will be easy to clean.

What we like

  • This is a great unit that is easy to use and to clean.
  • It is good looking and will look good in your kitchen.
  • The nonstick interior is perfect for keeping it clean easily.

What we don’t like

  • Might not hold enough milk in one use for some.
  • You should not be using normal metal spoons to be scooping your froth out as you don’t want to scratch the internal surface.

Is it worth the money?

It is very reasonably priced but if you looked around at some of the other offers out there you might find one a little cheaper that does the same thing.

What is the Kuissential Milk Frother Best for?

While this is a fairly versatile unit it really is only for a one/two person at a time use. Perfect for for those that do not have big families or are the only coffee drinker in the house.

Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother

Features

  • 130 ml (for milk froth preparation)
  • 250 ml (for hot milk preparation)
  • Can make hot and cold milk for frothing or for other drinks
  • Has a detachable base for easy cleaning
  • Is one of the quieter models
  • Well made and looks good in your kitchen

How easy is it to clean?

You can clean the top part in water but I would not advise fully submerging it or leaving it to soak, please make sure that you fully read the manual when you get this unit.

What we like

  • This is a popular choice and we can see why it is well designed and very pleasing to the eye.
  • It is easy to clean and maintain
  • Is quiet

What we don’t like

  • There are some reports that it can leak a little.
  • We have also seen some reports of this machine breaking down quite early in its life. Of course, we can’t tell how the people were using it or maintaining but still thought this should be mentioned

Is it worth the money?

This might be on the slightly steep side cash-wise for some, but if you are looking for something that is sleek and elegant in your kitchen this might be a great option for you.

What is the Nespresso Aeroccino Plus Milk Frother best for?

This is a great frother for everyday use and should hold its own in any house.

Epica Automatic Electric Milk Frother

Features

  • Stainless steel with vacuum insulation
  • Makes hot or cold frothed milk
  • Heats up milk for hot drinks should you wish to
  • 125 mls for frothing
  • 250 mls for warming milk
  • Removable top for easy cleaning
  • 2 year warranty
  • 3 Settings: Hot Froth, Cold Froth, Hot Milk
  • Nonstick interior so that the milk does not stick to it

How easy it it to clean?

This is very easy to clean, you can remove the container and wash it . It is not advisable to submerge it into water though. Avoid using anything abrasive as this will scratch the nonstick surface

What we like

  • Well designed and good looking milk frother.
  • Stainless steel outer body.
  • Easy to clean.
  • Makes some decent foam.

What we don’t like

  • There is nothing really not to like about this.

Is it worth the money?

This is very well priced and gives you loads of bang for your buck.

What is the Epica milk frother Best for?

Perfect for most households and will hold its own if you have friends around and they want coffee.

PowerLix Handheld Battery Operated Milk Frother

Features

  • Portable handheld milk frother
  • Battery operated
  • Made with Decent quality stainless steel
  • Well styled and ergonomically designed and will blend in with any kitchen

How easy is it to clean?

These are very easy to clean as they are made with stainless steel. They are battery operated so there is no need to worry about cables etc getting dirty.

What we like

  • These little bad boys are powerful and will whip up the milk in no time at all. They are very reasonably priced and are great for the occasional user.
  • They are versatile and can be used for a number of things.

What we don’t like

There is not much not to like about this. As long as you remember that this is a portable one and that it does not have all of the capacity of its bigger more expensive siblings.

Is it worth the money?

We think it is worth the money if this is something that is not going to be used every day. It does not heat the milk or anything like that so these will all have to be done separately.

What is the PowerLix Handheld Battery Operated Milk Frother Best for?

This is great for those who are occasionally fancy a special coffee maybe something on the weekend. Not a great buy for those that like their coffees and have something like this every day.

Kuissential Slickfroth 2.0 Battery Operated Milk Frother

Features Portable handheld milk frother Battery operated Made with Decent quality stainless steel Well styled and ergonomically designed and will blend in with any kitchen Slightly cheaper the others out there

How easy is it to clean?

The head is made with stainless steel and so is easy to clean. It is battery operated so there is not fuss with cables etc and you can clean the handle if it gets dirty.

What we like

  • This is very reasonably priced.
  • Runs on 2 AA batteries (not supplied )
  • Very nice ergonomically designed handle.

What we don’t like

To be honest we kind of like the other one better, for a start the colour of this is not great and my not fit in with your kitchen if you are that way inclined.

Is it worth the money?

This is worth the money if this is something that is only going to be used occasionally. It is not designed for heavy use.

What is the Kuissential Slickfroth 2.0 Battery operated milk frother best for?

This is perfect for the occasional user that is not too fussed about things like colours etc. There has been a lot of positive feedback on this so it is a potentially good investment if you are an occasional user.

To Sum it all up

f you are still reading here I am guessing that you are still undecided. That is ok. Let’s review one more time

There are two types of frothers that you can be looking at.

The handheld frother is the cheaper option and me ok for the casual user. Before I had an electric one I had one of these and it did the job, it was not great but it did what was needed.

Consider too that there you will have to do all of the steps individually, heat the milk, froth the milk and then add this to the coffee

An electric milk frother is a little bit more of an investment but is will generally be much easier to use. I tended to use mine more often because of this and there are little things because it is a closed unit and built well I can just set it up and carry on with what I am doing.

I appreciate the coffee that I make more as it just makes better froth and the process is less intense.

Think about it and what you are looking to achieve and then pick something according to that in my humble opinion picking something because it is cheaper often does not end well for me.

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